Rose Wine
by anticharm
Summary: To put it shortly, Mikagami meets a vampire. Of course, said vampire is a 'she'. Hehe...
1. the mizushoubai

mar 05 2002  
sumi-chan  
rose wine chapter 1-- the mizushoubai  
  
** tokiya mikagami, ensui, and all other FOR-related stuff are not mine. everything else is original. **  
  
*** NOTE!!  
this writing takes the character tokiya mikagami and places him in my alternate universe.  
  
he has never met the hokage team. he was able to battle with that other ensui student and find out who really killed mifuyu.  
  
he trained hard and killed his master.  
  
he is seventeen in this story.  
  
having done away with the hokage, I, the Author, may now have him all to myself. *fangirl grin*  
  
please remember that I wrote this with non-FOR fans in mind, too. so the conversation in this chapter will focus mainly on tokiya's life story, about mifuyu and all. it's a short piece, and for the FOR fans who already know the mifuyu bit, skip on ahead to the part about kigikumi (in this fic, she is tokiya's ex-gf).  
  
---  
  
this is the revised version. hopefully it is better than the previous version. ^^;;; I've done away with all unnecessary characters.  
  
there isn't much change, though, in the beginning parts.  
***  
  
--- --- ---  
  
2:34am. MizuShoubai was a popular bar, though, and its hazy interiors were crammed with the nocturnal crowd 'from dusk til dawn' as it was advertised. Besides, it was Saturday night, not to mention Valentine's.  
  
It was an eclectic atmosphere of music, alchohol, cigarette smoke, and neon lights. Some tables were populated by gangsters and punks; young men who dressed in a way that would make the elderly shake their head, and scantily-clad women at their sides to complete the look. Most had groups of friends who were there for a good time after work or school, or perhaps romantic couples who kept to themselves in the back corners. And there were a few lone drinkers here and there, those who mulled over lost loves or lost jobs.  
  
The bartender looked at her customer, taking notice of his attire. The latter, she noticed, always wore a suit. Not that it looked tacky on him-- hell, this guy was probably a model. He had light blue eyes that called ice to mind, pale skin, and long dark hair tied up in a ponytail. The skin and hair, in particular, had Maki wondering about the customer's gender, but that was settled the moment he made his order. His voice was, no doubt, male. It was deep and quiet, and rather intimidating. She wouldn't be surprised if this guy had the fighting skills that went behind the cool voice. She never did hear the cool voice very often, and the customer had never cared to introduce himself (Maki had resorted to calling him Mr. Iceman in her thoughts-- never aloud, of course).  
  
Mr. Iceman would arrive in the bar at around 11:45pm, stay until 3 in the morning, and ordered cups of sake sporadically during his stay. He always sat in the same place. Sometimes he would just sit there, watching the bar scene idly; mostly he'd be deep in thoughts.  
  
Tonight, Mr. Iceman's suit was sky blue outside, grey-black inside, and no tie. There was never a tie. Unlike most of the other customers, he drank sake. Maki didn't even know that MizuShoubai *had* that archaic drink, until this guy came along and ordered it-- but then again, it was a part-time job and she was relatively new at it. And tonight being Valentine's night, Maki was a little bit intrigued that such a good-looking guy didn't have a woman with him. Mr. Iceman ordered another round of sake, and Maki decided that she had nothing to lose by striking a conversation.  
  
It was part of a bartender's job, after all.  
  
"Nice suit."  
  
Mr. Iceman turned to face her and gave a nod as acknowledgement.  
  
"So... what do you do outside of the MizuShoubai?"  
  
"I'm a student with a part-time job," he said, sipping his sake lazily.  
  
Silence.  
  
Maki made another brave stab at conversation.  
  
"What happened, your girlfriend broke up with you?"  
  
Perhaps that was a bit too far?  
  
"She died in an accident a week ago," he said flatly. His face remained perfectly still and bereft of any emotion.  
  
Great. Fine way to break the ice, Maki. Awaken bad memories.  
  
Courtesy soon came into her mind, and she apologized to her customer. Who simply shrugged and continued with his sake.  
  
Maki was already about to turn away, when  
  
"Do you really want to know?"  
  
His blue eyes looked coldly at the bartender, but without malice. They held an... indistinct... emotion.  
  
Maki felt a bit uneasy, but also terribly curious.  
  
"Yeah. That's part of my job, ne?"  
  
Another shrug.  
  
"Onee-san was the most important person in my life..." he trailed off, leaving Maki hanging for a few moments.  
  
"When our parents died. She was all I had left."  
  
Minutes ticked away as Maki listened to her customer's life story. How his older sister had been murdered in front of his eyes, how he had trained in some form of fighting art-- what was it again? Something about a sword and water... He had been taken in by his mentor right after his sister's death.  
  
"It was really shocking, you know, when I found out who really killed Mifuyu." His eyes flashed as he said it.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Meguri Kyoza. My master."  
  
Maki only found two words  
  
"What?! Why?!"  
  
"As I was told, Meguri had thought that giving me a.. purpose... would speed up my learning. He was right. I had nothing but vengeance on my mind, and I swore that I'd grow strong enough to kill the bastard who murdered my sister. Meguri encouraged that thinking. I'll bet he never thought that I'd find out the truth..."  
  
"The guy dug his own grave, huh?"  
  
"I killed him soon enough." There was a cold satisfaction in that voice that Maki found unnerving.  
  
"Ah, wait, excuse me..." Maki had to attend to another customer.  
  
She returned to Mr. Iceman after a few short moments.  
  
"...sore da?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"I lived all my life for only one purpose. After I had exacted revenge, I lost direction."  
  
Maki found herself brave enough to ask about the girl  
  
"What about, anou, the, uhm, late girlfriend?" The last two words came out as tiny squeaks.  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"What about her?"  
  
"Well... she gave, err, new direction to your life, ne?"  
  
He seemed to contemplate this question for a while, looking as if he rolled it about his mind as he composed an answer.  
  
"I suppose one could say that."  
  
"Anou, excuse me again..." The other customer wanted three vodkas, pronto, 'or else'.  
  
Maki returned to find Mr. Iceman about to leave. He paid the bill and stood up.  
  
"Ja," he murmured, already walking away.  
  
"Oi, matte! The exit is over there..."  
  
She trailed off and sighed, taking his empty cup to be washed and put away. 


	2. kigikumi

may 05 2002  
sumi-chan  
rose wine chapter 2-- kigikumi  
  
** tokiya mikagami, ensui, and all other FOR-related stuff are not mine. everything else is original. **  
  
*** NOTE!!  
this writing takes the character tokiya mikagami and places him in my alternate universe.  
  
in this chapter, I will write about tokiya's relationship with that girlfriend who died in the accident. there will also be an encounter with  
  
---  
revision:  
not much change here, either.  
***  
  
--- --- ---  
  
Tokiya stepped out through the backdoor of MizuShoubai. He paused, savoring the cold early morning air of the outside; it was made all the more welcome because of the humid insides of the bar he had just been in. The alley here was dark and known to be seedy, where not a lot of- decent- people might be seen.  
  
The Ensui master, though, pretty decent-looking if his many female admirers in school could be trusted, always made his way through here unharmed. For obvious reasons. The gangsters in this area were all part of one group. Those few members who had already encountered him served as a warning to the rest. It was a silent arrangement between him and them-- they wouldn't bother him, and he wouldn't bother them.  
  
He walked a straight path, although the alchohol was now getting to him and felt somewhat dazed. It was always like this when he had alchoholic drinks... late reaction. Perhaps a remnant from before his training?  
  
What few streetlamps there were, were of little use. They cast a feeble, wavering light on their respective spots; whatever went on in the many shadows went unnoticed. Mostly, deliberately unnoticed, because mind-your-own-business was a necessary motto if one feared for one's life.  
  
It was a long walk, and if he had gone through the front door it would have been shorter. But Tokiya wasn't after shortcuts, he just wanted solitude. Time to think, to reflect... Inside the bar, he would ply himself with sake to sort of condition his mind. Most people drink in order to forget. Ironically, Tokiya found that a sake-saturated mindset was good for deep thoughts, especially those that dealt with remembering. Memories that he would fend off with a mental ensui attack under non-intoxicated circumstances. But under the influence of sake, he could... reminisce... more clearly.  
  
He gave a wry smile at the thought of the bartender.  
  
Quite nosy, isn't she? But I suppose that most bartenders are like that...  
  
Tokiya had never ventured to converse with any bartender in the bars that he frequented. He just wanted the sake. And he had kept up a certain poise to intimidate any curious  
  
Perhaps it was because she was a *she*. She was a little more curious, a little bit braver than the others.  
  
She was probably very surprised when I actually offered to tell her. Not to mention  
  
Tokiya surprised even himself. And then he had poured out his life story to her, everything in under ten minutes. Of course he had kept a few details.  
  
More like, a lot of the details. And he still didn't know why he even told her anything at all.  
  
Life is just full of surprises...  
  
Such as Kigikumi's accident?  
  
It wasn't even a surprise. It came as a shock....  
  
Confusion and shock.  
  
He allowed himself to think about Kigikumi. He had been walking in another alley-- not because he had just come out of a bar, though. He didn't even drink back then. It was that night, when he stepped out of his master's house, leaving the body inside.  
  
The alley was rather like this one, the alley where he met her. Kigikumi was a rich student in that exclusive all-girls' school, a couple of years younger than him. How she wound up in that alley, he never found out or cared to know; but he had found her there, being harassed by some stereotypical thugs. Being in that very good mood that he was, he didn't want to ruin it by the image of some young girl being beaten up... or worse.  
  
So he rescued her. And she pretty much... stuck to him. In fact, he even began to like her. Kigikumi was sweet, pretty, cheerful, and energetic. It was not long before  
  
She became the envy of the whole female population. Seriously.  
  
Then he had made his mistake, by allowing himself to feel for her. Except for the fact that she could be a little.... suffocating. She was quite the jealous type, and soon wouldn't let him go anywhere without her. No, not even Mifuyu's grave. He started getting irked, she started feeling as if she was taken for granted, and the arguments started. It had gotten to the point that the relationship turned sour, and she started seeing someone else.  
  
Then came the big fight, and the next day she died. In that car accident.  
  
And Tokiya just went numb.  
  
For the past three weeks, he had done nothing but this. It was a hollow routine of a life: school, the part-time job, bars, sake, and letting the whole chain of events run by him again.  
  
He snorted. How pathetic. Pathetic and boring. The thought of suicide had occurred to him twice, the first after he had killed Meguri and the second after Kigikumi had died.  
  
In the first, he felt as if his life's mission was accomplished and there was no need to live. Which was dispelled by the arrival of Kigikumi; which brought about the second.  
  
He considered that for a whole five seconds before discarding it with much disdain. Somehow, the idea was a too- melodramatic- for him. And besides, it just seemed, well, useless. What's the point?  
  
Tokiya might have gone on pondering this if it weren't for his senses going on high alert.  
  
He could feel something-- someone-- watching him. He tensed and reached for his weapon  
  
Clack, clack clack...  
  
He turned around, hearing more footsteps; the clacking of heels on the asphalt. He narrowed his eyes at the obscurity, he couldn't see it yet but he knew it was getting closer  
  
Clack, clack, clack...  
  
Louder.  
  
They were slow and leisurely steps. Finally, the source of the sounds stepped underneath a streetlamp.  
  
The weak, yellow light cast only a faint glow on her, but he could see her clearly.  
  
A lady, maybe a year or so older than him, dressed in a loose red blouse with long sleeves, and black pants. Her long black hair was done up in a casual chignon, and even from the distance of about five meters he could make out lilac-coloured irises. It was a very unnatural shade, yet Tokiya felt as if they weren't contact lenses. Her pale skin looked even paler against the red blouse, perhaps, even paler than him... which was certainly saying something...  
  
Suddenly she was in front of him, moving in a blur of motion that could rival his own. She held a rose, and she put that in Tokiya's hand, greeting him a Happy Valentine's. Somehow the rose seemed impossibly scarlet, and he couldn't understand how that could be when roses really are supposed to be red. Remembering caution, he drew out his sword with his other hand  
  
The woman smiled and told him not to be uneasy.  
  
Tokiya scoffed mentally.  
  
She held his hand-- the one which had the rose-- and they were inexplicably back in his own apartment.  
  
"Yes, you're quite drunk. No, this is not a dream. Now sleep-- you need your rest," she said as-a-matter-of-factly, answering the questions in his head.  
  
Tokiya felt obliged to, and he fell into slumber the moment his head hit the pillow.  
  
She took a cigarette from her pocket and lit it, taking a deep puff as she watched him for a few moments. Her crystal-like eyes glinted before she disappeared in another blur of motion.  
  
Somewhere in Tokiya's dreams,  
  
"..We'll meet again... tomorrow night..."  
  
An image of the rose flashed across his mind, and it transformed into the strange woman...  
  
--- --- ---  
  
author's notes:  
*** Okay, I'll admit, that was a bit corny. Ehehehe... ^^;; *** 


	3. lone firefly

mar 05 2002  
sumi-chan  
rose wine chapter 3-- lone firefly  
  
** tokiya mikagami, ensui, and all other FOR-related stuff are not mine. everything else is original. **  
  
*** NOTE!!  
this writing takes the character tokiya mikagami and places him in my alternate universe.  
  
saiyuda is tokiya's friend. I don't know yet how that came to be, but I'll work something out. ^^;  
  
yes, I am being nice to tokiya here. and look-- a teeny bit on WAFF. hurray for me. =)  
  
---  
revision-- I've made saiyuda a little less sanosuke-like and a little more serious. a little.  
  
also, the 'mysterious lady' will NOT turn into a blushing and stammering demure young lady.  
***  
  
--- --- ---  
  
"Well, that's freaky."  
  
Saiyuda sipped his coffee.  
  
Tokiya said nothing.  
  
"Aren't you going to have your good-morning coffee too?"  
  
Tokiya shook his head.  
  
"If you ask me, you've had an eventful night. And you need your daily dose of caffeine."  
  
"Quit sounding like a Nescafe commercial," came the brisk reply.  
  
Saiyuda smirked.  
  
  
  
It was a Sunday. Next week was exams week, but he was exempted as usual. He lay in his bed, restless.  
  
Of course he hadn't been unnerved.  
  
Nevertheless, he decided not to go back to MizuShoubai for tonight. He'd had his fill of sake, anyways... so...  
  
I'll visit Onee-san. After this short nap.  
  
  
  
He got there just as the sun set below the city horizon. He felt his spirits lighten as soon as he caught sight of her gravestone.  
  
A smile.  
  
"Konbanwa, Onee-san."  
  
He placed the fragrant bouquet of flowers in front of the gravestone, removing the withering previous bouquet.  
  
The breeze blew, and he stood there for a long while, feeling better already. Ever since her murderer had been properly done away with (Tokiya smirked), Mifuyu's grave had become a place of relaxation for him. It just felt soothing to be there. He closed his eyes and sighed.  
  
Half an hour passed.  
  
"Hello, Mikagami."  
  
Tokiya's eyes snapped open.  
  
"Nani da-" he turned around, weapon in hand, and found her. The same 'her' from last night.  
  
He narrowed his eyes, but relaxed his grip a little.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.  
  
"Don't act like I didn't tell you last night."  
  
"I didn't expect my sake-induced hallucination to keep her promise," he pointed out, still looking at her as if she'd disappear in a puff of smoke at any moment.  
  
She walked towards him, this time slowly, until they were face-to-face. Her lilac eyes held a hint of sadness in them, as if she was hurt that he didn't believe in her existence. She held his hand is hers, and Tokiya was somewhat surprised when he felt how cold her hand was.  
  
"Tokiya-kun, I know that my touch lacks warmth... but even if my fingers feel like a bitter winter's night, they are as real as can be."  
  
She locked his gaze for a few moments, letting her statement sink in; and then her face broke into a smile.  
  
"Come now, Tokiya-kun," she now held him by the wrist.  
  
"I'd like you to walk me around the park," she continued, and then she glanced at the bouquet of white flowers that lay at Mifuyu's grave.  
  
He had a strange urge to either kiss her or make a run for it.  
  
"Wonderful choice. Mifuyu loves those," she added.  
  
Mikagami shook off that thought.  
  
"How would... you know?"  
  
"I know," she said, her lilac eyes twinkling.  
  
  
  
The park lay close to the cemetery, but Tokiya had never taken the time to go there. He found it far too full of noisy families for his taste.  
  
But then, he had never seen it at night. The last traces of orange had faded into a somber dark blue an hour or so ago, and now it seemed... different.  
  
At this time the park had gone from kids' paradise to lovers' rendezvous point, and it was very quiet. Aside from the occasional mushy giggle from a teasing couple somewhere, their stroll had been a peaceful one.  
  
Tokiya found the silence pleasing, and his companion seemed to like it too.  
  
She stopped when they reached a point that gave a view of the tiny stream, and her eyes followed the progress of a lone firefly.  
  
"Probably the last of its family," she said, looking about. "Has something to do with all the pesticides..."  
  
Even Tokiya found it somewhat mournful.  
  
"Tragic," he commented.  
  
She reached out with her hand, and the firefly landed on her palm.  
  
"Yes, it is. To outlive one's family and friends..."  
  
He was painfully reminded of Mifuyu, and the expression on his companion's face indicated that she wasn't thinking about happy memories, either.  
  
The firefly's glow went on and off, and it flew away.  
  
The two of them walked on, perhaps a little quieter than previously. They were nearing the end of that path when she turned to him and invited him over for dinner.  
  
"It's almost eight. Dinner at my house?"  
  
Tokiya shrugged; he didn't have anything else planned for that evening.  
  
"Alright."  
  
"This way, then. By the way, my name is Akashi Yuriko."  
  
  
  
Her mansion of a residence took him by surprise, considering that she didn't go around town with bodyguards.  
  
Tokiya walked through black wrought iron gates, down a white path bordered with arftul shrubbery, through huge mahogany doors and clean, although dimly-lit marble halls. Typical Western-style wealthy property, he figured; the antique-looking carpets hung on the walls were perhaps the only things which could set this mansion apart from all others.  
  
Yuriko led him to what looked like a grand ballroom with a long rectangular table-- the dining room was huge. Or perhaps it really was a ballroom, and they had, for some reason, placed the dining set there. She caught his wondering stare.  
  
"Mother is claustrophobic," she explained.  
  
"Sou desu..."  
  
She motioned to one of the chairs that had a plate in front of it. There were only three; one at the head of the table, and one at each of its sides.  
  
"Have a seat, won't you?"  
  
Tokiya did.  
  
She took the seat across him, apparently waiting for someone to sit at the head of the table. They only had to wait for a few moments before someone did enter-- a woman slightly older than Yuriko, moving with stately grace and looking very much queenly.  
  
Yuriko stood up and greeted her, bowing and kissing the older woman, and then she turned towards Tokiya. Tokiya, likewise, stood up. Her every movement screamed authority...  
  
"Mother, I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Mikagami Tokiya. Tokiya-kun, this is my Mother."  
  
Tokiya bowed.  
  
"Hajimashite, Akashi-san."  
  
Mrs. Akashi nodded towards him, her lilac eyes resembling her daughter's in every way.  
  
"Always a pleasure to meet a friend of my daughter's, Mikagami," and she smiled at him.  
  
She also smiled at Yuriko, her expression conveying approval. Then she sat down, and some servants immediately entered to serve their food.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
author's notes:  
***  
Hn. Still lousy. Ick, my writing sucks. If you have any suggestions, PLEASE don't hesitate. ^__^  
BTW, sometimes I don't put a period or leave out punctuation marks, well, that's on purpose.  
  
---  
revision:  
  
No more Ms. Shy and Bashful vamp lady, thank you very much. *grin*  
  
Uh, sorry for using fireflies. I know it's extremely unoriginal... but... well... it IS extremely WAFF-y and symbolic in Japan ne?  
  
Oh, BTW, I know that vampires are supposed to be sexual and all that, but...  
  
This ficcy will not have a lemon scene.  
  
Please do not ask me to write a lemon scene.  
  
I am only 14, fer crying out loud; so the most will probably be kissing scenes, period.  
*** 


	4. to london

mar 06 2002  
sumi-chan  
rose wine chapter 4-- to london  
  
** tokiya mikagami, ensui, and all other FOR-related stuff are not mine. everything else is original. **  
  
*** NOTE!!  
this writing takes the character tokiya mikagami and places him in my alternate universe.  
  
this chapter is where you find out what tokiya's part-time job is. ^^  
  
---  
revision:  
  
I scrapped everything from this chapter onwards and redid it. ^_^  
***  
  
--- --- ---  
  
"Mikagami, I understand that you are exempted from this coming week's examinations?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Do you intend to spend that time as a vacation or will you work?"  
  
Mrs. Akashi kept him under close scrutiny as she questioned him, and Tokiya resisted a very strong urge to squirm. It had been seven years since he last squirmed, why break the record now?  
  
"If I have clients, I'll work."  
  
Mrs. Akashi nodded, and she sipped her tea before continuing.  
  
"Yuriko is being sent on an errand by my husband. I've heard of your reputation, Mikagami, and it would certainly be comforting to me if she has a reliable bodyguard with her," she said.  
  
Yuriko was looking at Tokiya with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes.  
  
"When, and how long?"  
  
Mrs. Akashi smiled, looking satisfied at how the conversation was going.  
  
"Three days in London. You leave the country tomorrow morning."  
  
Tokiya paused. If he had control, he might have choked on his dinner.  
  
"London?"  
  
"England. Of course all traveling fees shall be taken care of, and you will be compensated generously," Mrs. Akashi assured him.  
  
"I'll start packing then," Tokiya finally said.  
  
Yuriko looked delighted.  
  
"Thank you," she murmured.  
  
  
  
"London, huh? What family is this again?"  
  
"Akashi."  
  
Saiyuda looked thoughtful.  
  
"Never heard of them. Must be real rich, though."  
  
Tokiya was surprised. It had been a while since Saiyuda's family had 'fallen from grace', but Saiyuda still knew every little thing about Japan's most influential families.  
  
Saiyuda noted his friend's expression, and took a deep puff from his cigarette.  
  
"I'll ask around... should have something when you get back. In the meantime, enjoy yourself. Yuriko sounds like a doll," Saiyuda grinned.  
  
Tokiya rolled his eyes.  
  
  
  
Their ride on the private jet was uneventful and mostly silent, save for when Yuriko was telling him the details.  
  
"It's a business trip," she said, "Father has asked me to deliver a contract, and hopefully get it signed by Fuurigawa-san. It's an important deal, but he couldn't go there personally. He's a busy man."  
  
Tokiya nodded.  
  
"We'll be staying in Fuurigawa-san's residence," she added.  
  
"What is our schedule?"  
  
Yuriko shrugged.  
  
"All I actually do is give him the contract and wait for him to make his decision."  
  
"I see..."  
  
  
  
It was evening when they arrived. Mr. Fuurigawa's property was in Notting Hill and his huge, white house blended perfectly with its elegant surroundings. Yuriko and her silent bodyguard followed the butler through immaculately neat hallways, every tile in place and no dust to be seen. Tokiya got the impression that the Mrs. Fuurigawa would be scandalized at the sight of a cobweb.  
  
They were brought to Mr. Fuurigawa's study, and their meeting was quick and formally cordial.  
  
Yuriko bowed to him in due courtesy, giving him a brown envelope.  
  
"I'm afraid that my father had pressing matters to attend to," she explained.  
  
"Yes, of course, he is a busy man," Fuurigawa said, smiling. It was a smile that did not extend to his eyes. He was probably in his early fifties, his greying hair (or what was left of it) combed back and shining with hair gel.  
  
Their exchange was interrupted by a knock at the door, and a man dressed in a black suit entered.  
  
"Excuse me for interrupting," he said, looking every bit as though he didn't care anyway. He seemed to be only a few years older than Tokiya, although his face already had some lines etched in it. He had the appearance of someone who had borne an adult's burden early in his life; someone who probably did not have a carefree childhood. His eyes were dark green, and Tokiya perceived these eyes as shallow and street-smart.  
  
The man walked on towards Fuurigawa, running his hand through his hair and his steps echoing of a cool self-assurance. He winked at Yuriko as he passed her by, and Tokiya bristled. Not, of course, because of any-- God forbid-- jealousy; but he seemed rather threatening.  
  
Yuriko seemed to glare at this young man, apparently not impressed with his rudeness. She refrained from saying anything, though, and kept quietly still.  
  
Fuurigawa appeared oblivious to both Tokiya's bristling and Yuriko's annoyance; he introduced the young man as his only nephew, Shouda. He was the only son of Fuurigawa's deceased younger brother.  
  
Apparently, Fuurigawa was childless. He obviously doted on Shouda.  
  
"Shouda is an excellent businessman," he said proudly, "even though he's still studying, I've given him some work to do around here and he's doing very well."  
  
Tokiya looked at Yuriko; she was forcing a polite smile. He smirked inwardly and felt relieved that he was only the bodyguard, otherwise he'd have to put up with interacting with these obnoxious-- people-- as well.  
  
"Uncle, you give me far too much praise," Shouda demurred, but his face clearly showed that he enjoyed basking in the stuff.  
  
Yuriko raised an eyebrow ever-so-slightly at this, but immediately pasted on a neutral expression as the two Fuurigawas faced her.  
  
"Well, it's getting rather late," commented Fuurigawa, glancing at his watch. "Shouda, would you be so kind as to show them to their rooms?"  
  
He looked at Tokiya, who had been standing quietly in the corner all this time. He gestured questioningly toward him.  
  
"He is...?"  
  
"Mikagami Tokiya. He's my bodyguard and companion."  
  
"Ah, sou desu." Fuurigawa cast a strange look at Tokiya, perhaps curious if he was more than that.  
  
The three walked out of Fuurigawa's study, bidding him a good evening.  
  
Fuurigawa closed the door behind them, dropping his courteous manner.  
  
"The famed Mikagami," he murmured, his eyes glinting.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
author's notes:  
***  
revision-- Yay!! I managed to create a villain. Hehe. Is he despicable?  
*** 


	5. afternoon intruder

may 07 2002  
sumi-chan  
rose wine chapter 5-- afternoon intruder  
** tokiya mikagami, ensui, and all other FOR-related stuff are not mine. everything else is original. **  
  
*** NOTE!!  
this writing takes the character tokiya mikagami and places him in my alternate universe.  
  
---  
revision: an intruder and the tube ride. ^-^  
***  
  
--- --- ---  
  
It was past midnight when Yuriko knocked at the door which connected their rooms.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"May I come in?"  
  
"..."  
  
She took this as a 'yes' and found Tokiya standing by the window. He was looking out at the sky, murmuring something about a certain lack of stars.  
  
"Japan's nightsky is brighter," she agreed. "London isn't known for stars. The sky is far too thick, even in the daytime."  
  
"Cloudy," Tokiya observed.  
  
"So it is." Yuriko had a silver flask in her right hand, and she drank from it carefully.  
  
How quaint, to discuss the weather. One would hope that it wouldn't degenerate to the levels of 'Hi-Howareyou-I'mfinetoo-Thankyou'.  
  
Yuriko joined him at the window; and she, too, gazed out at the sky.  
  
"Mifuyu was fond of stars, remember?"  
  
Whatever Tokiya had expected from her, it wasn't this. He started, not bothering to conceal his unease. It was a long silence before he regained his composure.  
  
"She often wished that we could move to rural Japan," he said, trying to sound gruff and utterly failing. He could not remember the last time that he had talked about his sister aloud; much less with someone else. Mifuyu would have transferred to the countryside, if only for a clearer view of the twinkling gems in the night. Yuriko's familiarity with Mifuyu was unnerving, and his curiosity got the best of him. She didn't exactly answer him that time at Mifuyu's grave, but he had nothing to lose at another attempt.  
  
"How do you know of onee-san?"  
  
"She often came to our house. You probably wouldn't remember it now, but my older sister was a close friend of hers..."  
  
Tokiya shifted his attention to Yuriko. He tried to remember the name of that laughing girl, the one with hair like Yuriko's. He remembered her distinctly for her long, shining, black braids, tied with white ribbons and reaching to her waist.  
  
"Korika?"  
  
"Hai," Yuriko smiled, obviously pleased that Tokiya remembered her older sister's name.  
  
"I didn't know Korika had a younger sister..."  
  
He couldn't remember Korika mentioning a younger sister, not once. Then again, certain areas of his memory of Mifuyu were rather blurred.  
  
"I'm not very outgoing," Yuriko said, and she shrugged.  
  
"How's Korika doing, then?"  
  
"She eloped four years ago. Father had arranged a marriage for her, but then she had a... relationship at the time, with someone else."  
  
Tokiya looked at Yuriko's face, which was riddled with an indistinct emotion.  
  
"I'm very sorry," he said, and he truly was. He was somewhat surprised to hear of her fate, though, having assumed that political marriages were as archaic as... well, it clashed with the modern notion of independent choice.  
  
"It's fine. I'm sure she thought of forced marriage as worse than running away. I just hope that she's happy, wherever she is," she said quietly.  
  
Tokiya knew that the odds were against Korika in this situation, but said nothing. The rest of the night, or early morning, was spent in silence as they watched the first hints of a rosy dawn infringe upon the blackness of the night. The sky grew progressively lighter, and Yuriko went back to her room as if to mimic night's retreat.  
  
He remained at the window for a while longer, thinking about Korika's fate. Would it really have been so horrible to her, that she preferred a risky path to an unsure future? He shook his head, thankful that he didn't have to face that kind of problem. The past few hours of travel and musing caught up with him, and he lay down on the soft bed.  
  
He didn't bother drawing the curtains. It was something that he normally when sleeping in the daytime; to block out sunlight that would disturb his sleep. It was probably going to be a cloudy day, anyway.  
  
  
  
Tokiya was awoken late that afternoon by sounds in the corridor. His senses immediately went on alert, and he grasped his madougo tightly as the sounds seemed to get closer to Yuriko's room. He stood by the same door through which Yuriko had entered last night, and concentrated on listening.  
  
They were footsteps. Hasty footsteps that tried to be silent. Tried. The footsteps approached Yuriko's door, the one which led to the corridor, and Tokiya heard that door creak open.  
  
Tokiya slowly turned the doorknob, and found out that it was locked. Of course, any decent woman would lock her door if a man was on the other side. He then went out into the corridor and found Yuriko's door left carelessly open. Stealthily as possible, he crept inside and saw the form of a man bending over the bed. It was rather dark inside; Tokiya noticed that the room didn't have any windows. Perhaps that was why she had joined him last night?  
  
He switched on the light.  
  
"What are you doing?" His voice was low and cold, and he held his sword menacingly.  
  
The intruder looked panicked at first, and then he straightened himself and glared at Tokiya.  
  
"I was staying here the other week. Just looking for something I left behind..." As he spoke, he quickly shut close the suitcase that he had with him.  
  
Tokiya was not a psychologist, but he could tell that the man was lying. He took a few steps toward him and pointed the tip of his sword to the intruder's throat.  
  
"Don't make me ask you again, because next time it's going to hurt. What are you doing here?"  
  
The intruder shook his head, sighing.  
  
"You don't know what she is," he said quietly. "Do you?"  
  
"She's a sleeping lady, and you're lousy at sneaking around," Tokiya hissed.  
  
"Oh, and what are you, her hero or something?"  
  
"I don't have to tell you," Tokiya growled, and the intruder smirked. The commotion had not gone unnoticed, and Fuurigawa's servants and guards were already apprehending the stranger.  
  
"Watch her back. I'll be seeing the both of you around," and he was taken away.  
  
Fuurigawa himself rushed in a few moments later, hastily apologizing to Tokiya and a drowsy Yuriko. He went off to deal with the policemen who had just arrived, looking extremely distraught that his house had been broken into.  
  
  
  
The sun had just set. Yuriko was dressed in tight black pants, a deep crimson tube top, and a black denim jacket. Tokiya followed her, dressed in his undying suit. She had decided that staying in the Fuurigawa residence was boring. She had opted to walk, saying that the limousine was stuffy. The cold London air was damp and turned their breaths into white clouds, but Yuriko seemed to enjoy it. Tokiya had no complaints; he didn't really care.  
  
The Holland Park tube station was nearby. Fuurigawa's residence was on St. Clarendon Road; from there they simply walked straight until they reached Holland Park Avenue.  
  
"We'll be taking the subway?" he asked.  
  
"Not quite. In London, the subway is the underground pedestrian crossing. What you're referring to is known as 'the tube'," she explained.  
  
"Sou desu."  
  
Yuriko nudged Tokiya as they were on the escalator, telling him to keep on the right side. He complied, and barely two seconds had passed before a woman rushed past him on the left side.  
  
Tokiya wisely kept his madougo out of sight, and they took Central Line to Notting Hill Gate without any problems. From there, it was an easy matter to transfer to Circle Line and go all the way to South Kensington. Yuriko navigated, going from train to platform to another platform, and then waiting for the right train. She seemed quite at home in the Underground, as if she passed this route everyday.  
  
"Mind the gap," she repeated smilingly for Tokiya, as if the bright yellow notice wasn't bright enough. The gaps between train and platform edge certainly were noticeable, and pity the passenger who didn't look before he stepped.  
  
It was nearly rush hour, and the train was beginning to get crowded. Tokiya and Yuriko had seats, and that fact may be attributed to Tokiya's intimidating glares. Curious Londoners observed the 'strange young man with long hair' out of the corners of their eyes, but kept from further interaction. Eye contact in the London Underground was avoided as much as possible, especially with someone as serious-looking as the Ensui master.  
  
Talking, too, seemed to be a radically outrageous action; the only sounds that one could hear were the constant throbbing whir of the train itself. They returned to the surface at South Kensington, the whole trip taking about half an hour.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
author's notes:  
***  
revision-- yay! I managed to plow through my London-tube notes and absorb at least some of it. The stations and streets and routes that I mentioned, and will continue to mention, are all real. =)  
*** 


	6. old brompton subcity

may 07 2002  
sumi-chan  
rose wine chapter 6-- old brompton subcity  
  
** tokiya mikagami, ensui, and all other FOR-related stuff are not mine. everything else is original. **  
  
*** NOTE!!  
this writing takes the character tokiya mikagami and places him in my alternate universe.  
  
---  
revision: I am lousy at action scenes. please forgive me.  
***  
  
--- --- ---  
  
"The Bram Stoker Tavern," Tokiya read. "The author of Dracula, ne?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
They entered. The Bram Stoker Tavern was a popular place, and it was decorated accordingly. It was dark and crowded, and Yuriko motioned to Tokiya to follow her closely. She wasn't heading for the bartender.  
  
Yuriko went straight to the basement. The way to it was blocked by two heavy-set guards, but they let the two pass. There was nobody in the vicinity, and Tokiya wondered what they were doing here. It was darker than the main part of the tavern building, and rather narrow too. Yuriko went on, and it seemed to get even darker and narrower. He wasn't sure, but it also seemed as if they were going downwards.  
  
They reached the end after about ten minutes of walking in a claustrophobic's nightmare, and at the end was a door. It was completely dark by now, and Tokiya was hoping that beyond the door was fresh air. Or open space. Yuriko opened the door, and Tokiya almost gasped when they stepped out.  
  
He didn't, of course, primarily because he wasn't prone to gasping. Secondly, the air was thick with cigarette-smoke.  
  
It was a bar, and it looked exactly like the MizuShoubai.  
  
"You like it, right?" Yuriko smiled.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Welcome to Old Brompton Subcity," Yuriko led Tokiya out of the MizuShoubai-lookalike, and outside it were more bars. It was like an enlarged tunnel, with bars lining each side. The path was narrow and crowded with people. The 'ceiling' was five feet above Tokiya's head, and it was of rusting metal and stained concrete.  
  
"What is this place?"  
  
Immediately, a scantily-clad woman approached Tokiya and offered to show him around. She looked very eager, as well as very drunk.  
  
"Y'know, I usually charge for my services, but you're just so hot..." she slurred, draping herself on him.  
  
Tokiya's upper lip was curling in distaste. Yuriko looked slightly amused.  
  
He firmly pushed her off and away from him, and advised her to go home.  
  
Her sultry manner turned sour, and she stalked off.  
  
"I'll refrain from asking any more questions," he muttered, and Yuriko giggled. Tokiya glared.  
  
"Oh, alright. I'll stop," she said, "and might I add, I'm impressed. A lesser man would have been taken in by that flirting... well, anyway..." she cleared her throat. "London's pubs all close by eleven."  
  
Tokiya looked at his watch; it was barely eight.  
  
"Mm."  
  
"You're in MizuShoubai from eleven 'til three."  
  
"Mm."  
  
"Someone like you would be quite bored with London's nightlife," she said, "and what kind of a nightlife ends at eleven, anyway? Of course there are Londoners like you."  
  
Tokiya got the idea. If one can't do it legally, then...  
  
"I see."  
  
  
  
Tokiya found that the Subcity was more like a whole underground city than a winding tunnel; after a few minutes of walking they had come across an intersection. Yuriko turned right, then turned left at the next intersection; and then left again... Tokiya recited it mentally. right, left, left, right at the second corner, left, right, left at the third corner, left at the second corner...  
  
Thank God for his training. Any other normal person would have gotten lost already; and Tokiya found himself wondering about Yuriko. She had an exceptional sense of direction, and stamina too. All that walking...  
  
The streets of the Subcity were filled with a great number of interesting and bizarre things. It contained a vibrant metropolitan culture of its own, with people from every part of the world and beyond.  
  
There were mostly the stereotypical punks, rockers, and goths-- black was exceedingly predominant. There were groups of five or so people, dressing and acting so identically it almost seemed like a private religion. The stalls, too, were something to mention-- they lined the street, one after the other and crammed with all sorts of foods and fascinating trinkets. On one street alone he found food stalls selling mushroom burgers, deer stew, coconut juice, ensalada de gallina, kaeng khiao wan nuea, sushi, fougasse, salmon en croute with green peppercorn sauce and other things that (a) he couldn't name; (b) would probably not try.  
  
They had been walking for a while now, and finally Yuriko stopped in front of a small establishment. The sign read 'Rose Wine'.  
  
"Here we are," she said.  
  
They stepped inside, the interiors much more spacious than what one would have thought. It looked more like a proper restaurant than a tavern, and the atmosphere was more relaxed. They took their seats at the bar, and Tokiya ordered sake.  
  
The bartender smiled at his customer's strange request.  
  
"Begging your pardon, sir, but we do not serve Japanese beverages in Rose Wine," he said humbly.  
  
Some other customers were glancing in their direction.  
  
"Take a butchers at that, some foreign chap's ordering a drink from his own country!" someone had whispered to someone else.  
  
There were murmurs, but they were not so rude as to stare. Tokiya was a curiosity for them, having lived in London all their lives.  
  
It was a little hard for Tokiya to believe that sake was not available, given the fact that he had seen food stalls selling much more exotic beverages. But then, he reflected, he did not want to drink out in the streets. He decided to have vodka instead.  
  
"A glass of rose wine for me, and kindly refill this please," Yuriko said, handing the bartender her flask.  
  
--- --- ---  
  
author's notes:  
***  
revision-- The Bram Stoker Tavern is real (but of course the subcity is not). Its address, in case you're going to London and you want to find it, is:  
  
The Bram Stoker Tavern  
148 Old Brompton Road  
London  
SW5 0BE  
  
For more on directions to Old Brompton Road, see this map:  
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?pc=&GridE=526254&GridN=178456&scale=10000&title=Bram+Stoker+Tavern&cat=h  
  
kaeng khiao wan nuea = Green Curry with beef (thai food)  
  
fougasse = braided bread with olives or anchovies (french food) (don't ask me how to pronounce it because I don't know ^^; LOL)  
  
salmon en croute is an alaskan dish  
  
"take a butchers" means "take a look" (brit slang)  
  
Yes, I *did* do my research well. *grin*  
  
As you've noticed, I decided to make Rose Wine the name of a bar instead of a hotel.  
  
And of course Tokiya wouldn't like such a slutty girl. Hahahahaha....  
*** 


	7. want you to want me

may 07 2002  
sumi-chan  
rose wine chapter 7-- want you to want me  
  
** tokiya mikagami, ensui, and all other FOR-related stuff are not mine. everything else is original. **  
  
*** NOTE!!  
this writing takes the character tokiya mikagami and places him in my alternate universe.  
  
---  
revision: insert song "Want You To Want Me" by Anggun.  
  
let's turn the tension up a notch on tokiya's side. ohohoho...  
***  
  
--- --- ---  
  
Their orders were served soon enough, and Tokiya could not help but stare at the 'rose wine'. It was coloured deep scarlet and looked very thick.  
  
"That seems heavy," he commented.  
  
"So it is," smiled Yuriko, and she took a sip as she tucked the now-full flask in her purse.  
  
Soft music was playing from somewhere in the background, and Yuriko lit a cigarette. She brought it to her lips, slowly breathing in and then exhaling a silver waft of smoke that mingled with the song's lyrics.  
  
~ I'm here give me a glance  
Been following you like a shadow ~  
  
"You smoke?" she asked him.  
  
"No."  
  
~ This is how I spend my time  
Dreaming about our days tomorrow ~  
  
"Would you like to try?"  
  
Tokiya shrugged, it made no difference to him.  
  
Yuriko took the cigarette from her lips and handed it to Tokiya. He hesitated, and then took a deep puff. The disturbing and heady flavour of tobacco seeped into his lungs. It felt strangely addictive, and he inhaled again.  
  
"That seems pale," she smiled, eyeing his vodka.  
  
"So it is," he countered, and he ventured to smile back. Perhaps he was getting tipsy?  
  
"Want some of this?" she gestured to her own glass, half-full of the crimson liquid. "I'll have to warn you, though, it's very strong."  
  
~ Two different worlds between us  
You're on the spotlight far from my touch ~  
  
Again, he shrugged. Yuriko rolled her eyes and muttered something about his indecisiveness, and she pushed her glass towards him.  
  
"Go ahead. Tell me you'd like to," she said, in a tone that was subtly demanding.  
  
~ Somehow I have to find the right time to say  
That I want you to want me ~  
  
Tokiya felt dazed. He probaby was getting a bit drunk. He really didn't want to take her drink... the prudent voice in his mind said that one vice was quite enough; two was excessive. But then another voice woke up, one that hadn't come into his mind since Mifuyu died.  
  
Coward, it hissed.  
  
Mifuyu would have wanted you to live a good life, replied the other.  
  
Bah! Mifuyu wanted a younger brother who's a prude?! She wants you to live your life, dammit.  
  
Yuriko seemed oblivious to his inner debate, and she leaned closer towards him.  
  
"Just a few gulps," she assured him prettily. "It's a little shocking the first time, but you'll adjust to it quickly."  
  
"Hai..."  
  
  
  
Yuriko's smile grew a little wider as Tokiya gripped the stem of the glass. The alcohol and the cigarette were doing their jobs well, even better than she had expected. Perhaps it would take only two nights.  
  
The trick was, as one of her colleagues had coached her long ago, to make them want to. You can't do anything if they don't allow you, so you have to make them want to.  
  
'Want to what?' She had asked.  
  
Her colleague rolled her eyes. 'Make them want to be bitten. Or whatever it is that you want... They have to want you.'  
  
She had been a little confused at that, but then she was young at the time. Fifty or so years had passed and now she mastered the art.  
  
Her mind flew back to the mansion in Tokyo. She had no sincere intentions of pleasing that scheming old woman whom she called 'Mother', but then it was necessary-- for her own survival. She might be favoured by her father now, and Mother might be all ears to him now; but father wasn't immortal. When he dies, Mother wouldn't hesitate to treat Yuriko like anyone else.  
  
Besides, if she did this one well, she could even assert her status instead of simply surviving. If Tokiya managed to be just that valuable to the Clan...  
  
His fighting history was flawless. She wondered idly if he could fight just as well while drunk, and she knew that he would be tested shortly.  
  
The rival Clan was not stupid; they knew that she was alone while in London, but it was all part of the plan. If she were to gauge Tokiya's worth, she might as well do so in the real thing. At least that was what Mother had said.  
  
"He's vulnerable now, Yuriko. Make him even more so, and then see what he makes of a battle."  
  
She had hesitated, as this seemed a little cruel, but of course she had little choice.  
  
"Yes, Mother," she said respectfully, keeping her head bowed.  
  
"Do what you like with him in London. Just be sure to bring back an accurate report," the Mother continued.  
  
"Yes, Mother."  
  
"I'm counting on you," she said pointedly, and Yuriko took this to mean 'fail-and-you-will-die'.  
  
She deepened her bow.  
  
"Yes, Mother."  
  
Her father peeked in at their conversation, and he smiled at his daughter.  
  
"You take care, alright?"  
  
She smiled and went over to hug the old man, assuring him that she would be just fine. If Mother had felt resentful at that moment, she didn't show it. As long as father was around...  
  
Yuriko went back to the present, just as Tokiya took a few deep gulps of rose wine.  
  
  
  
The red liquor rushed onto his tongue, past his throat and beyond; it was like drowning in sensation. Rose wine was tangy, hot, even somewhat sweet-- and it was certainly heavy. Despite its thickness, though, he found it no more difficult to swallow than water. It slid down his throat quickly, leaving a solid alcoholic aftertaste.  
  
Tokiya felt even more dazed, and his vision blurred. Yuriko had been right in her warning, and the adventurous voice inside him had been beaten back by the angry prduent one. He closed his eyes, trying to regain focus.  
  
A crash. It was dim and distant, but he knew it was nearby. Forcing himself to open his eyes and not stagger, he stood up and turned around.  
  
The door had been knocked down, it now lay on the ground in splinters. There were several dark shapes moving about; he assumed that these were the intruders because the other customers had run to the corner that was farthest away from them. He narrowed his eyes, squinting, and the scene became a little clearer.  
  
The dark shapes were, indeed, the intruders; they wore a completely black outfit and showed only their eyes. Pale red eyes...  
  
He squinted some more. That couldn't be right. Who'd ever heard of pale red eyes?  
  
But then again, he reflected, as he gripped his fully-formed sword, who'd ever heard of lilac eyes either?  
  
--- --- ---  
  
author's notes:  
***  
revision-- Ooh, lookie. We finally get it from her point of view. Uhm, am I confusing you yet? ^-^  
*** 


End file.
